New Airport Levy Increases Airfares Starting Today

Air ticket prices for both domestic and international travel are now higher. This is due to a new government charge called the Airport Infrastructure Development Levy. This levy started today.

Domestic passengers flying within Ghana will pay an extra GHS100. For regional travel, a round trip ticket will cost an extra $70. A one-way regional ticket will cost an extra $35. International travelers will pay an extra $100 for a round trip ticket. A one-way international ticket will cost an extra $50.

The government says this money is needed to fix problems in the aviation sector. Funds from the levy will pay for new projects. These include building a connection between Terminals 2 and 3 at Kotoka International Airport. It will also fund a new large car park at Terminal 3. Money will also go into fixing regional airports.

Some industry experts are worried. This new levy, plus existing taxes, could make Ghana's airport one of the most costly in Africa. This might make the country less attractive for air travel. There are also questions about how this fits with an ECOWAS plan. ECOWAS wants countries to lower air transport taxes by 25% to improve travel in the region.

Airfares are also already going up because of higher jet fuel prices. These higher prices are due to problems in the Middle East. Ghana could become the third most expensive country in Africa for airport charges. This is according to the Board of Airlines Representatives in Ghana. This puts Ghana behind only Gabon and Sierra Leone. The global average for airport charges on return trips is between $30 and $34. Africa's average is about $68. This shows the concern about how expensive Ghana is becoming.